by Shane Henson — July 16, 2012—Water scarcity in America can be just as much a threat to cities as pollution, poor infrastructure, and a lack of energy management, but because water currently flows so freely from the nation’s faucets, it is not something that officials in most U.S. cities nor the citizens they serve spend too much time thinking about.
To help people understand that the threat of water scarcity is real and looming, sustainability planning, green building and water efficiency consultant Jerry Yudelson has released a three-part video series titled Water Wars on his YouTube video channel aimed at educating people on and helping to prevent what he calls the future urban water crisis.
The videos are based on Yudelson’s book Dry Run: Preventing the Next Urban Water Crisis, which outlines how cities can prepare for a coming era of water scarcity throughout the United States and much of the world, brought about by global climate change, increasing urban populations and a growing “water footprint” from human activity.
The videos consist of three parts: first, an introduction to the water supply problems facing us over the coming decade; second, a discussion about the importance of changing the way we build our homes, buildings and cities; and third, action steps that people, institutions and political leaders can take right now to prevent future urban water crises in their community.
“I’ve designed these videos to provide an understandable introduction to preventing future water crises, at a level that can promote community dialog about viable water futures,” said Yudelson. “I find that much of the professional discussion about water issues is simply too complex for the average person to grasp. These videos fill a much needed gap in public education and are designed to spur people to action.”
